Machine for bundling currency



April 10, 1928.

1,665,731 F. W. CHASE MACHINE FOR BUNDL ING CURRENCY Filed Feb. 21. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l rwen I.

-4 all April 10, 1928.

F. W. CHASE MACHINE FOR BUNDLING CURRENCY Filed Feb. 21. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 10, 1928. 1,665,731

F. w. CHASE MACHINE FOR BUNDLING CURRENCY Filed Feb. 21. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor." 4 24 1 b I M r ly April 10, 1928.

F. w. cHAsi MACHINE FOR BUNDLING CURRENCY Filed Feb. 21. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fnvenlor Ma W A ril 10, 1928.

F. W. CHASE MACHINE FOR BUNDLING CURRENCY Filed Feb. 21. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I w M u H I gjzlllllilijl1:11

I I 7 Inventor Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK \V. CHASE, OFE'IELROSE. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE TO VJELDFAST SYSTEM, INQ, OF SALEM, MAS ACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR BUNLDLING CURRENCY.

Application filed February 21, 1823.

This invention relates to machines for bundling shingles, paper currency, magazines, newspaper and various other articles and materials. The invention is especially concerned with machines of the general type disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 53337 filed Feb. 1, 1922, and it is an important object ot' this invention to improve and perfect the machine shown in my earlier application.

The usual process or bundling felt and slate shingles is to arrange them in stacks of convenient height and weight and then to encircle each stack ith two iron or steel bands, the ends of which are pinched together and held with a small piece of malleable metal. The joint uniting the end portions of the bands projects at one side of the package, and such projections are very likely to be caught or struck by some article which will break the joint and release the package. Such a breakage is a frequent occurrence in the shipment of these goods, and it entails a great deal inconvenience and considerable loss.

The usual process of bundling magazines and newspapers co sists in making a stack of the desired height and then binding the stack with heavy cord which is tied by hand. Such a package is relatively insecure and themethod of producing it is expensive and laborious.

Similar procest 1' are tollowed in the hundlin and packaging of a great many articles and materials, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to devise a machine with which the bundling or packaging of various materials, including those above mentioned, can be performed more e:: peditiously and economically than has been possible with the apparatus heretofore available. The invention also pr vides an impart ed method oi" bundling such materials and novel package.

The invention will be herein disclosed as embodied in a machine designed especially bundling paper currency tor distribution to banks or other financial institutions or for siiipment back to the U. S. Treasury to be destroyed. It is customary to stack paper currency in packages of, say, one thousand pieces, and to hold the units of together with a binder of some Such packag s have usually tion in such Serial No. 620,871.

manner that it was possible to remove one or more pieces of currency from a package, and such removal could only be detected by the subsequent counting of the currency in the package. Frequently the loss of currency in this manner is'never detected; and even in cases where it is detected, it is rarely possible to t'ace the loss. The present invention provides a machine which bundles currency in such a manner that it is impossible to remove a piece of currency from the package, or even to remove mutilated pieces that could be redeemed.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanism for compressing the stack of material to be bundled;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation, partly in cross section, oi another portion 01 the compressing mechanism and parts located adjacent thereto;

Fig. 4: is a cross sectional View on the line 4%, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the electrodes for effecting the welding operation and the parts adjacent to said electrodes;v

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing one of the electrodes, the clamping means for the end of the metal tape, the cutter for said tape, and the immediate support for said parts.

Fig. 7 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in cross section, of the reel for supporting the supply of binding tape;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of elements of the reel shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a currency package made in the machine shown in Fig. 1, portions of the package liieing broken away; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing one step in the process of making the package shown in Fig. 9 and showing the parts that act immediately on the package.

The particular machine shown is arranged i ionflpress stack at pa pe-r currency or similar material and hold this stack compressed while two steel bands are looped around it near opposite ends of the stack and subsequently tightened. The overlap ping portions of the bands are then united by spot welding. The surplus portions of the bands or tapes are cut off, and the package is then released,

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 10, it will be seen that the machine comprises a support 2 for the material to be compressed, this support consistlng of a horizontal bracket having a rigid abutment. 3 at one end thereof. Horizontal ribs or ways, one of which is shown at 4, are formed on opposite sides of the support 2, and a slide 5 provided with an upstanding plate 6 travels on these ways. This slide is movable toward or from the abutment 3 to. compress the stack of currency or other material resting on the support For the purpose of moving the slide forward, a rack 7 is slidably mounted in the support 2, and a chain 8 running over a pulley 9 connects the rack with the upper end of a rod 10, the lower end of which is pivoted to a treadle 12. A spring 14: holds the rack normally in its rearward position, while another spring 15 normally holds the treadle 12 elevated. A pawl or dog 16, Fig. 2, is pivoted to the slide 6 and is normally held in contact with the rack 7 by means of a spring 17. Another pawl 18, also pivoted on the slide 5, is normally held by a spring in engagement with a stationary rack 19 mounted in the support 2. It will thus be evident that when the treadle 12 is depressed, the rack 7 will 1 be drawn forward, carrying the slide 6 with it due to the engagement of the pawl 16 with the rack. The slide is held in its forward position by the engagement of the dog 18 with the stationary rack 19.

For the purpose of releasing the dogs from their respective racks, they are both mounted on a pin 21 which is supported eccentrically in two short shafts, one of which is shown at 22, Fig. 2, that rotate in portions of the slide 5 and are secured in the ends of a U-shaped member 23 having a handle 24 projecting from one side thereof. A U- shaped lifter 25 is mounted loosely in the member 23 and is arranged to engage the tails of both pawls 16 and 18. As the handie 24 is swung upwardly, the pivot 21 of both pawls is moved upwardly and forwardly, thus withdrawing the dogs from the teeth by a forward movement,-and thereby preventing the dogs from being violently snapped out of the teeth by their springs as they are lifted clear of the teeth by the part 25. As soon as the pawls have been raised, the slide can be moved backward or forward, as desired.

Assuming that a stack O of currency, Fig. 10, has been compressed between the abut ment 3 and plate 6, as shown in Fig. 10, the next step is to loop the binding tapes T about the stack. Preferably steel tapes are used for this purpose and they are wound on reels 27, the construction of which is best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The individual reels are mounted on a rotating carrier 28 which is supported by the shaft 29, this carrier having one removable end 30 to facilitate the removal of the empty reels from the carrier and the loading of the carrier with full reels.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that each tape is drawn hetween grippers 32 and 33, both pivoted on an arm 3st which is mounted on a stub shaft 35 projecting from the frame of the machine. is connected by a link 36 to a treadle 37 which is pivoted on the pedestal of the ma chine at 38 and carries a pivoted dog 39 arranged to' engage the teeth of a curved rack or sector 10. A flat spring ll normally holds the dog 39 out of engagement with the teeth of the rack. Each tape is looped about the stack of currency, the end of each tape is anchored by means presently to be described, and the treadle 37 is then depressed, the operator stepping on the dog 39 and thus forc- 'ing it into engagement with the teeth ofthe rack 30. The downward pull exerted on the gripper 33 through the link 36 moves this gripper toward its cooperating gripper 32 and thus clamps the tape T at a point between the stack and the reel. Both grippers are then swung downwardly with the arm The tape may be tightened as much as desired and held in its tightened condition by the dog 39 engaging the teeth of the rack 40.

By referring to Fig. 10 it will be seen that the end of the tape T is anchored or secured at the front side of the stack of currency between two clamping members 43 and 14-, I'GSPGCl'iVQly. The lower of these members, 441, is secured fast on a plate 45 while the upper member 43 is mounted on the end of a lea spring 46 which is secured to said plate. The spring is so tensioned that the parts and 14- normally occupy the relative positions in which they are shown in Figs. at, 6 and 10. That is, the clamp is held open, so that the end of the tape T can he slipped in between the jaws of the clamp into the position shown in Fig, 10. The tape previously has been looped about the stack and brought down over the clamp member 1-3, as shown in Fig. 10, so that when the tape is subsequently tightened itwill force the upper clamp member 43 inwardly over the lower member at and thus grip the end of the tape securely due to the tightening action of the overlying portion of the tape.

These clamping members, and the plate on which they are mounted. are duplicated at the opposite side of the abutment 3, the cor The gripper responding parts being designated by primed numerals in Figs. 3 and 4. The construction of the plate is best shown in Fig. 6, from which it will be seen that it is provided with a lug 47. This lug and the corresponding lug on the plate 45, project through slots 48 and 48, respectively, Fig. 3, which are J the clamp members laterally fromunder the tapes. A downward movement of the handie 51 moves the plates outwardly again.

For the purpose of spot welding the overlapping portions of the tapes, two relatively stationary electrodes 54 and 5e are secured, respectively, to the plates 45 and 45 where the tapes will be drawn over them as they are tightened. Cooperating with these electrodes are two hinged electrodes and 55, best shown in Fig.5. These electrodes have the general formof T-shaped members and are both mounted on a shaft 56 which is supported in flanges that project forward from the abutment 3, the shaft preferably being covered with insulating material such as Vulcanized fibre. The outer ends of these electrodes are connected by a rod covered with an insulating sleeve 57, Fig. 5, and a tubular handle 58, pivoted at 59, is connected to the insulated rod 57 and serves as a convenient means for swinging the electrodes into and out of cooperative relationship to the stationary electrodes.

The two stationary electrodes are connected by means of conductors 61 to one terminal. of the secondary coil of a low potential, high amperage transformer 69, while the movable electrodes 55 and 55' are connected by conductors 63 to the other terminal of said secondary. The supply of current to the primary coil of this transformer is controlled by a switch 65, Fig. 1. of the remote control type. This is a well known type of switch and usually comprises a main switch which. in this instance, controls the flow of current to the primary of the transformer, and an electro-magnet which closes said switch and is controlled from a distant point. In the present case the electro-magnet is connected through conductors 66, Fig. 1, to a push button 67 mounted in the handle of the lever 58. lVhen the push button 67 is depressed, the electro-magnet is energized and closes the main switch, thus admitting current to the transformer. As soon as the push button is released, the main switch is'opened by a spring and the transformer is immediately deenergized. While a relatively high amperage is necessary to perform the welding operation, only a very small voltage is required. The matter of insulating the parts, therefore, is very simple.

lVhen the welding operation is to be performed, the lever 58 is raised and the points of the electrodes 55 and 55 are pressed against the tapes at the points wherethey overlap on the stationary electrodes 54 and 54. The button 67 is then pressed, thus indirectly admitting current to the electrodes. The welding operation takes place in a very few seconds at points immediately under the ends of the movable electrodes where it is readily observable by the machine operator. As soon as the desired welds have been made. the push button is released, thus cutting oil the flow of current, and the electrodes are then dropped back to their original positions. The welds are indicated in Fig. 9 at W.

After the welding operation has been completed, it is necessary to cut off the surplus lengths of tape at points outside the Welds, that is, at points between the welded spots and the source of tape supply. For this purpose two knives or cutters 70 and 70, Fig. 4-, are pivoted to the plates 45 and 45, so that when these plates .are moved toward each other to withdraw the tape clamps and electrodes from under the tapes, the cutters will be swung about their pivots as they are drawn around the corners 71 and 71, Fig. 4t. As the knife 70 swings in this manner, it passes over the top of a cutting block 72, Fig. 10, and severs the tape at a point about level with the bottom of the package. The knife 70 severs the other tape at the same time and in the same manner. lVhen the two slides 45 and 45' are returned to their outer positions again, the knives 70 and 70' will be returned to their original positions, as shown in Fig. 4, by means of a spiral spring 74 which connects them.

It will now be understood that in using the machine the operator places a stack of paper currency, or other material to be bundied. on a support 2 and depresses the treadle 12, thus compressing the stack. The stack is held in this compressed condition by the dog 18 and rack 19 while the operator draws both tapes upwardly, loops them around the stack at each side of the support 2 and inserts the ends of the tapes in the tape clamps. He then steps on the treadle 37 and dog 39, thus tightening both tapes simultaneously. lVhile the tapes are thus held taut, the operator swings the electrodes 55 and 55 against the tapes, and depresses the push button 67, thus effecting the welding operation. He then releases the push button and allows the electrodes to drop back into their original positions. The operator next raises the handle 51 to withdraw the tape clamps and the stationary electrodes laterally from under the tapes,the cutters simultaneously severing the tapes at the hottom of the package. As the cutters sever the tape and continue their cutting movement, they crimp the ends of the binder snugly against the lower edge of the package, as shown in Fig. 9, so that the presence of projecting ends of the binder is avoided.

This completes the bundling operation. The operator next swings the handle 24 upwardly, thus withdrawing the dogs from engagement with their racks and releasing the. bundle from the machine. The dog 89 is released from the rack 40 simply by depressing the outer end of the treadly 37 slightly. The operations above described are repeated on each succeeding package.

In bundling paper currency by this process, it is usual to place a very heavy'label of paper or pasteboard at each end of the stack of bills so that it is impossible to remove a piece of currency or even to tear a bill out of the package without leaving behind ample evidence of such act. By properly numbering the labels and contents of the packages and keeping suitable records of them, any such theft may be readily traced.

In the packaging of currency for shipment by this process, it is further preferable to enclose such currency in a carton of the telescoping type, as indicated at B, Fig. 9, and then to place this entire package in the machine and secure it with binders T T, Fig. 9, which are spot welded in the same manner as the inside binders. This currency may or may not be packaged, as above described, prior to being enclosed in the carton. Heretofore it has been customary to ship currency in a. cloth bag closed and sealed. It is possible, however, to extract a piece of currency through a small hole made in such a bag, and such a hole is very liable to escape detention. The bags also are reL atively expensive and are bulky. By using cartons in place of bags a neater and more secure package is provided. Furthermore, the use of cartons is more economical, and it is much easier to detect any tampering with the package, or any attempt to extract currency therefrom, than when the bags are used.

In the bundling of shingles, magazines, and various other articles and materials, a machine of the same general organization is employed, the dimensions being modified, however, in accordance with the dimensions of the package or bundle to be made. It may be necessary, also, to modify the design of the machine in some particulars, depending upon the nature of the materials to be handled. It will be appreciated, however, that this invention provides a machine with which articles and materials of various kinds can be packaged quickly and securely. There is practically no danger of the weld which unites the ends of the binders being broken, and there are no projecting parts which are likely to catch on adjacent articles. The labor involved in bundling material in this machine is reduced to aminimum,,and a superior package is produced.

While I have herein shown and. described the best embodiment of my invention which I have so far devised, it will be appreciated that the invention may be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is V 1. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallie'binder closely around said compressed stack, and means for electrically welding said binder in its tightened condition, said welding means comprising an electrode mounted immediately beside said stack and over which'overlapping portions of the binder are drawn as the binder is tightened. and a second electrode movable into and out of cooperative relationship to the first electrode, said first electrode being mounted for withdrawal from under the binder after the welding operation has been performed.

2. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for anchor-- ing the end of a strip of continuous metallic binder at a point closely adjacent to said stack, and means for tightening said binder about said compressed stack, said anchoring means including parts for gripping the binder and arranged to be moved into gripping relationship by an overlying portion of the binder as it is tightened. l

3. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the end of said binder at a point close beside said stack, said anchoring means comprising parts arranged to utilize the tightening action of the binder to clamp said end.

4. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a. metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the end of said binder at a point close beside said stack, said anchoring means comprising two relatively movable parts arranged to clamp the end of the binder between them, the binder being drawn over said parts as it is tightened and said parts being. arranged to be relatively moved by the overlying portion of said binder to tighten their grip on the end of the binder.

5. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack.

of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the end of said binder at a point close beside said stack, said anchoring means being supported for lateral withdrawal from under the binder after the tightening operation has been completed, and means for welding said binder in its tightened condition.

6. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the end of said binder at a point close beside said stack, means for welding said binder in its tightened condition, and means for supporting said anchoring means for withdrawal from under the binder after the welding operation has been completed.

7. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for supporting a continuous strip of metallic tape whereby a length of said tape may be drawn z'rom said supply and looped about said stack, means for anchoring the end or said strip of tape at a point closely adjacent to said stack, mechanism for acting on said tape between said stack and said supply to tighten the tape about said compressed stack, means for welding overlapping portions of said tape together to secure the tape in its tightened condition, and means for withdrawing said r anchoring means laterally from under said tape.

8., In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the end of said binder at a point close beside said stack, means for welding said binder in its tightened condition, means for withdrawing said anchoringmeans laterally from under the binder after the welding operation has been completed, and means actuated by said withdrawing mechanism for cutting the binder at a point outside of the weld.

9. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the end of said binder at a point close beside said stack, an electrode located closely adjacent to said anchoring means where the binder is drawn over it as the binder is tightened, and a second electrode movable into and outof osition to cooperate with the first electrode in welding portions of said binder together to secure it in its tightened condition, said first electrode being mounted for withdrawal from under the binder after the welding operation has been performed.

10. In abundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stackv of material to be bundled, mechanism for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means located closely adjacent to the stack for anchoring one end of said binder, means for welding said binder in its tightened condition, comprising an electrode over which the binder is drawn as it is tightened, and a single means for withdrawing both said electrode and said anchoring means laterally from under the binder.

11. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack oi material to be bundled, mechanism for tightening a metallicbinder looped about said compressed stack, means located closely adjacent to the stack for anchoring one end of said binder, means for welding said binder in its tightened condition, comprising an electrode over which the binder is drawn as it is tightened, a single means for withdrawing both said electrode and said anchoring means laterally from under the binder, and a cutter operated by said withdrawing means to cut ofl surplus portions of the binder.

12. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, mechanism; for tightening a pair of metallic tapes located about said compressed stack, means for welding said tapes substantially simultaneously in their tightened condition, means for anchoring the ends of said tapes at points he side one face of said stack, and mechanism for withdrawing said anchoring means from under said tapes in a direction substantially parallel to said face of the stack.

13. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, '-mechanism for tightening a pair of metallic tapes located about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the ends of said tapes at points closely adjacent to one face of the stack, means for welding said tapes in their tightened condition, said welding meansincluding two electrodes, one locatedun'der each tape at a point adjacent to the anchoring means for said tape, slides on which said anchoring means and electrodes are mounted, and means for moving said slides toward each other parallel to said face for the purpose of withdrawing said electrodes and anchoring means out from under said tapes.

14. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, mechanism for tightening a pair of metallic tapes located about said compressed stack, means for anchoring the ends of said tapes at points closely adjacent-to one face of the stack, means for welding said tapes in their tightened condition, said welding means including two electrodes, one located under each tape at a point adjacent to the anchoring means for said tape, slides on which said anchoring means and electrodes are mounted, means for moving said slides toward each other parallel to said face for the purpose of withdrawing said electrodes and anchoring means out from under said tapes after they have been welded, and two cutters carried by said slides and arranged to be operated by said movement of the slides to cut off surplus portions of said tapes.

15. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binding tape looped about said compressed stack, and a normally open clamp for receiving the end of said tape and anchoring said end while the tape is tightened, said clamp being arranged to grip the tape through the action on the clamp of an overlying portion of the tightenedbinder.

16. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for electrically welding said binder in its tightened condition, said welding means comprising a pair of electrodes, a manually operated device for relatively moving said electrodes into cooperative relationship to each other, and means controlled from said device for controlling the supply of current to said electrodes.

17, In a bundling machine, the combina tion of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder looped about said compressed stack, means for electrically welding said binder in its tightened condition, said welding means comprisin a pair of electrodes, a manually operated device for relatively moving said electrodes into cooperating relationship to each other, and means mounted on said device for indirectly controlling the supply of current to said electrodes.

18. In a bundling machine, the combination of a support for a stack of material to be bundled, said support including an abutment, a slide, means for moving said slide toward said abutment to compress said stack, two plates supported by 'said abutment for sliding movement toward and from each other, means for tightening a pair of metallic tapes looped about said stack at opposite sides of said support, two electrodes carried, respectively, by said plates and over which the tapes are tightened, two anchoring devices for the ends of said tape mounted, respectively on said plates, movable electrodes cooperating with the electrodes on said plates to weld overlapping portions of said tapes together, a lever, and connections between said lever and said plates for moving said plates toward each other to withdraw the electrodes and said anchoring devices from under said binders after the welding operation has been completed.

19. In a bundling machine, the combination of a support for a stack of material to be bundled, said support including an abutment, a slide, means for moving said slide toward said abutment to compress said stack, two plates supported by said abutment for sliding movement toward and from each other, means for tightening a pair of metallic tapes looped about said stack at opposite sides of said support, two electrodes carried, respectively, by said plates and over which the tapes are tightened, two anchoring devices for the ends of said tape mounted, respectively, on said plates, movable electrodes cooperating with the electrodes on said plates to weld overlappingportions of said tapes together, a lever, connections between said lever and said plates for moving said plates toward each other to withdraw the electrodes and said anchoring devices from under said binders after the welding operation has been completed, and cutters pivoted to said plates and arranged to be operated by said sliding movement of said plates to cut off the surplus portions of said tapes as said electrodes are withdrawn.

20. In a bundling machine the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack oi. material to be bundled, means for tightening a metallic binder closely around said compressed stack, and means for electrically welding said binder in its tightened condition comprising an electrode over which the binder is drawn as it is tightened and a second electrode movable into and out of posit-ion to cooperate with the first electrode in welding portions of said binder together to secure it in its tightened condition, said first electrode being mounted for withdrawal from under the binder after the welding op eration has been performed.

21. In a bundling machine, the combination of mechanism for compressing a stack of material to be bundled, means for anchoring one end of a metal tape at a point closely beside said stack with said tape movable about said stack, mechanism for tightening said tape closely around said compressed stack, with portions of said tape overlapping each other, and means for electrically welding overlapping portions of the tape together while the tape is so tightened, comprising an electrode located closely adjacent to said anchoring means where the binder is drawn over it as the binder is tightened and asecond electrode movable into and out of position to cooperate with the first electrode in welding portions of said bindertogether to secure it in its tightened condition, said first electrode being mounted for withdrawal from under the binder after the Welding operation has been performed.

22. In a bundling machine, the combina tion of mechanism for compressing a stack 5 of paper currency to be bundled, means for anchoring one end of a metal tape at a point closely beside said stack with said tape looped about said stack, mechanism for tightening said tape about said compressed stack 10 to hold it compressed with portions of said tape overlapping each other and means for electrically welding said overlapping portions of the tape together while the tape is so tightened whereby to prevent removal of any portion of said stack, said welding means comprising two relatively movable electrodes, one of which is mounted for movement into and out of an operative position where it is substantially in contact with said stack.

FRANK W. CHASE. 

